Recapping Season 2 Episode 4 of The Rebuild: Inside the Montreal Canadiens

Next, we get to see a funny moment where St. Louis’ dad is talking about how trading the rentals for 2nd, 3rd or 4th rounders won’t necessarily end up getting them a good player that will help them in the long run. St. Louis agrees but also mentions that he’ll just coach the team they give him. This scene was a nice, lighthearted one that continues to appear throughout the episodes. 

It soon cuts over to Hughes & Gorton discussing what is needed at the Trade Deadline and whether or not they should be sellers. They talk about how their group is really pushing and showing the results to get them to stay together. 

We hear reporters discussing how the Habs have 4 pending UFAs who could be traded at the Deadline, but specifically mention Evans, who has been having a career year with the Habs. During an interview with the show creators, Evans also learns that he leads all forwards in shorthanded ice time. 

We then see Hughes and Gorton preparing a contract offer for Evans just before the Canadiens head off to their Western Canadian road trip that they do every season. 

Before the team leaves, we get to see the Habs players let loose on their new yearly fundraiser at the Montreal Casino, which includes Caufield winning a game of blackjack and seemingly trying caviar for the first time. It was a funny scene that preceded getting back to business in the playoff race. 

Going into their Western road trip, the Canadiens were only 1 point out of a playoff spot and had just one game before the Trade Deadline. 

Getting back to the trade talks, Hughes tells Gorton and the rest of his staff that he was offered a 1st rounder for a blurred-out name, to which he said that it should only be a summer trade based on where the team currently is in the standings. This is definitely something that we can speculate as fans about who the player was. The same can be said about the player that Hughes describes to his staff, who is a very offensive player, but his competitive level defensively is very questionable. 

Then we see the Habs equipment staff getting to the arena before the players and getting the equipment ready. They are showing us how they prepare the room during a road game and discuss how they brought extra equipment, in case a player gets added. 

Kaiden Guhle, who is skating back in Montreal doing rehab after his quad laceration injury, is asked by Kent Hughes what he thinks about a mystery player. It’s clear that Guhle likes the player’s offense and thinks he has a good compete level. One thing that was obvious about this episode is that it leaves us with a lot of mystery about what almost happened at the Trade Deadline. 

Following the discussion about the mystery player, there is the announcement of Jake Evans signing a 4-year deal in Montreal. He mentions how relieved he is to be able to stay and feel secure in Montreal for the next little while. The signing was also widely seen as management’s message to the players that they trust them as a unit. 

Following that, the Canadiens end up losing in overtime to the Oilers and remain a single point back of the final wild card spot on the day of the Trade Deadline. As the day hits, Savard talks about wanting to stick around for the rest of the season and hopefully get to feel playing playoff hockey for his hometown team. 

Hughes and Gorton end up not making a single trade before the Deadline, which leads to St. Louis announcing it at a 1:00 pm MT practice the day before their game against the Calgary Flames. The players all felt relieved and happy to be staying together. 

Just before the game against the Flames, we get an inside look into how much impact Lane Hutson’s energy has on the team before a game. He pumps the players up as he announces the starting lineup. Sadly, the episode ends with the Canadiens being shut out 1-0 by the Flames. 

The episode ends just as the final stretch of the season that led to the Canadiens making the playoffs is starting. Episode 5, which comes out next Thursday, should be a good one as we continue to watch the Habs’ route to making a surprising playoff spot.